There was an outburst of laughter in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday after a matter involving the theft of skin-lightening items from Super Valu was mentioned.

Tajay McLean, 19, of a Corporate Area address, pleaded guilty to simply larceny after the court was apprised that he stole a Nadinola bleaching cream and two Nadinola soap bars which amused the court.

"A really bleaching cream you go thief?" one woman uttered before she was instructed to be silent by police officers on duty. McLean was fined $10,000 or six months.

When quizzed by Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey why he should not be sentenced to prison for the offence, McLean explained that he suffered from a heart problem.

Furthermore, he said that he stole the cream and the soap bars to treat his acne because he could not afford to purchase them.